Other Side Of The Fence
by kuroNshiro
Summary: AU Hetalia. Living in a life of seclusion and now forced to get married against his wishes, Kiku finally escapes- meeting new people for the first time in his life, he wondered whether the grass was actually greener on the other side. He'll soon find out
1. Chapter 1

_Introduction: _

Hiya everyone, kuroNshiro here. This is my second fanfiction that I am embarking on. I hope it will be liked just as much as my 1st story (reviews and constructive criticisms are welcomed)

_Summary:_

AU Hetalia. After always being told what to do and living in seclusion throughout his life, Kiku finds himself getting married against his wishes. However on the day of his wedding, Kiku gets his much desired freedom and meets new people for the first time. But after gaining this freedom, Kiku wondered whether the grass was actually greener on the other side of the fence. He'll soon find out but will he like the results?...

x

**OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE...**

**Chapter 1**

On the porch which faced the garden a young raven-haired man, wearing a blue hakama over a white kimono, sat strumming his shamisen with a ginkgo-leaf-shaped plectrum. Though Kiku was on ground-level, he always felt like the fairytale princesses who were trapped in those tall towers, '_Unfortunately, in my case, I don't think there is a prince out there who will rescue me_'.

To forget about his worries, Kiku began to focus on playing his music. While playing, he failed to notice that someone was watching him, but that person left as soon as a white Mitsubishi arrived in front of the mansion.

* * *

Getting out of the car as fast as he could, the beautiful ebony-haired man with amber**-**colored eyes went straight to the elder of the house instead of resting in his room. Sure, a politician's life is hard and Yao was suppose to discuss important matters with the cabinet members but when he heard the rumor at the political meeting this morning, he felt that things needed to be cleared up.

Finally reaching the main study, Yao asked for permission to enter- he wanted to burst in through the sliding doors because he was furious; but since he was raised better, he waited to be beckoned in. When he heard the elder giving him permission, he moved the sliding door to one side.

Yao saw his grandfather Mao Wong sitting behind the table. He never liked his grandfather because the elder was very inconsiderate, always thinking what would be most beneficial for him and not for others. And he ruled with such an iron fist that the 1st generation of the Wong family blindly followed him- the only ones who did rebel against him were Yao's father and Xiang's mother, which could explain why Yao and Xiang feel the same towards him now

Yao once tried to run away when his parents passed away but his grandfather soon brought him back. The Chinese man once wondered whether it was because his grandfather actually cared for him but he soon realized the elder only kept those he deemed useful close and the others who weren't as useful were ignored or used as tools in political marriages. Learning this, Yao tried to leave again but abandoned that thought when he found out that his other cousins depended on him. Instead of running, he chose to stay.

His grandfather was also a politician, as corrupt as they come. Yao would have turned a blind eye towards politics but because of the elder, he gave his best efforts to enter the Ministry of Internal Affairs, having the mindset of being a just and fair bureaucrat with the aim of removing corruption from the inside, which proved to more difficult than he could imagine.

The old man looked up to see who was there, and was startled. "Yao, what are you doing home so early?"

Yao replied, "The meeting was cut short because some unsettling news has reached me. Please tell me it's not true. Please tell me that you are not giving Kiku's hand in marriage to Minghan." He saw his grandfather remove the glasses from his face with a solemn look but didn't say anything. The amber-eyed man asked in disbelief "Why him, aru? He is a petty Mongolian criminal... a gangster who, according to many rumors, now rules the Golden Triads."

The elder sighed "Yao, my political party right now is in desperate need of finances and the rival party made sure that everyone avoids us like plague. He offered to help remove us from our bankruptcy only on the condition that he gets Kiku as his partner." Yao couldn't believe what he was hearing- he knew one of the reasons his grandfather agreed so easily to such a thing was because Kiku wasn't blood-related to them.

Yao could still remember the time when Kiku was brought into their family -

_The Wong Family was a very superstitious group. When it was __told_ _to them by the fortune-tellers that there was a particular child born at a very auspicious time in the Chinese __calendar_ _who would be very beneficial for them, his family sought __the boy_ _out, finally finding him in one of the orphanages._

_Yao was about 13 at that time when he saw that child named Kiku who looked like he was around 5. In the beginning Kiku was very shy but since Yao always __had_ _natural motherly instincts in him, Kiku slowly warmed up to him._

_Soon after Kiku was adopted into their family, the __Wongs __prospered. However since Kiku was just treated as a lucky talisman instead of a real family member, the young boy was never allowed to leave __the house. He was always guarded and was forced to remain secluded from the rest of the world._

_The Chinese teenager hated how the elder folk were treating the young toddler, hence he made sure that the rest of his cousins would be in contact with him and tried to be as close as possible to him so as not to make him__ feel__ left out._

_Recentl__y,__ according to the fortune-tellers, there was change in cycles, hence now and in the future Kiku was considered very unlucky for the Wong family and so, Kiku end up __becoming_ _a scapegoat for all their problems._

So, Yao was sure the second reason why the elder agreed to the proposal was because the old man felt Kiku had served his purpose and it was time for him to leave. Yao felt enraged when he realized his family was abandoning someone who has been a part of their family for many years.

Trying to quell his anger, Yao said "I know you were informed that Kiku is now considered unlucky. However, I don't understand why Minghan wants him." The grandfather replied, "He found out somehow that with Kiku by his side, fortune will come to him as the cycles are favorable for his horoscope."

Having heard enough of the issue, Yao stormed out of the room. '_How dare they treat Kiku like a pawn piece! He is a human being._' Unable to believe that he and his grandfather shared the same blood, he mentally continued his rant until it was cut off when he heard music being played. Walking down the hallway, he opened the door to the outside to see Kiku there, playing the shamisen.

Observing the raven-haired man, Yao realized that Kiku had blossomed into a beautiful person with eyes that looked black magnetic orbs, so deep one could easily get mesmerized by his eyes. Because of the way he had been brought up, Kiku could be a very timid person. But it always warmed Yao's heart whenever he interacted with the siblings, because his face would show so much light for someone who has been shrouded in darkness for so long.

As the years passed by, Yao noticed Kiku growing his hair out to match Yao's long hair length which honoured the Chinese man since it was flattering, yet it also depressed him slightly at the same time since it showed that Kiku didn't feel that he belonged to the family, hence he tried to look like someone who was a family member. This thought saddened Yao even more than usual, knowing Kiku knew exactly what the elder folk thought of him since the music that he was playing- though haunting beautiful- was incredibly doleful.

Kiku stopped playing as soon as he noticed Yao standing nearby. With a smile, he spoke aloud, "Yao-nii, your cheeks look flustered. Have you been shouting?"

Yao shook his head, walking towards the Japanese man and sitting beside him. "It's more like I'm controlling my anger."

After a moment's hesitation, the raven-haired man stated "So, I can take it that you heard the news?" Yao nodded, feeling a wave of sadness flicker over him. Kiku turned to look outside. "I am grateful for what the Wong family has given me all these years- a roof over my head, appetizing food and lovely siblings to be around. So, if this is one way to repay them, then who am I to complain? My only regret is that I will miss all of you," While saying this, tears began to fall from his face.

Seeing Kiku cry like this for the first time broke Yao's heart. Yao squeezed Kiku's palm. "You owe the Wong family nothing. You should be free to do what you want, not what they dictate. Grandfather has no right to make you do this. After what he has put you and Xiang through, it makes my blood boil... Kiku, answer me this truthfully- do you want to get married to Minghan?" Kiku shook his head, still silently crying.

Yao smiled "Alright. I will make sure that you will not go through this wedding." Kiku, not sure what was happening, looked at Yao's face for answers. However the amber-eyed man proceeded to leave.

* * *

While walking towards the car, Yao flipped open his cell phone and dialed his secretary Jin who answered "_Good evening, this is __the __secretary of Yao Wong speaking. How may I help you?_" Yao said "Jin, it's Yao. Listen, I need you to do something which will not be traced back to me". Jin replied "_Sir, if it's to cause mischief, I am all for it._"

Yao chuckled and said, "I'm sure you must have heard of the recent engagement news." Jin answered, "_Yes, I did and I'm pretty sure you didn't want to hear congratulations from anyone, so I threw those messages._"

The Chinese man stated, "Sharp as always... Now, listen carefully: The Hotel Fleur-de-Peonies has to be the final set location for the wedding to take place. Grandfather must choose it at any cost. Can you make that happen without it tracing back to me?" Jin answered, "_Mr Wong, it will be a piece of cake._" Yao breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Jin, I'm counting on you," and with that he shut his phone.

Now, he just needed to put the rest of his plan in motion. At times like this, he was glad that his father had had the foresight to open a bank account for him when Yao was a teenager. He would have offered the money to his grandfather if he thought that it would change his mind. However, knowing how his grandfather handled finances and also having utter contempt for the man, Yao decided to use the money he saved for causes that mattered.

Giving a silent thanks to his departed parents, Yao told the chauffeur to drive him to the bank.

x

**A/N:** ^_^ I know that I should try to reformat my story properly this time, however after writing my previous fanfiction in this style for so long, it has been integrated into my brain- so I am unable to change it since I am now so used to writing this way... Anywaz, here's a little heads-up to avoid any confusion:

-If the sentence appears normally with double quotations (for e.g "Honey"), then the characters are in a conversation.

-If the conversation appears in _Italics_ & **Bold** at the same time with double quotations (for e.g "_**smile**_"), that means they are whispering.

-If the sentence appears in _Italics_ with single quotations (for e.g '_That's amazing_'), then these are the thoughts of that particular character.

-If the conversation is appearing in _Italics_ with double quotations (like e.g. "_Privyet_") that indicates the person on the other line of the phone conversation is talking.

-And finally if the paragraph appears in just _Italics_ without any quotations present (for e.g _That day, it rained_), then it's describing something that happened in the past.

FYI Minghan is Mongolia, Xiang is Hong Kong. The grandfather Mao Wong and Jin are OC's.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Axis Powers Hetalia or any related characters. They belong to Hidekaz Himaruya.**


	2. Chapter 2

**OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE...**

**Chapter 2**

Ever since the engagement was announced, Kiku met with his betrothed-to-be every now and then. To an outsider's perspective, the ceremony that was going to be held would be like the adoption of Kiku into another family. But, underneath the whole process, it was another form of marriage and Kiku didn't like the fact that he was getting married to another man. '_If I liked him then it would be a different story._'

Everything about Minghan screamed mobster- right from his slick long black hair which was tied in a low ponytail, to his clothes (he always wore a suit. Kiku often wondered how many black ties, jackets and pants that man had in his closet) and finally, a scar over his right eye.

Kiku hated meeting with Minghan as he felt very uncomfortable around the man. '_The frightening thing is I know how blood smells because of him._' He also didn't like the way Minghan looked at him, with a devious smirk on his face- Kiku always felt like a kitten who had entered the hyena's den whenever Minghan was close by.

But what the raven-haired man disliked the most was that ever since he became engaged to the Mongolian, he had been under constant surveillance. It wasn't like before when Kiku could at least roam around freely in the house without any supervision (though he was never allowed to leave the premises). Now, there was a bodyguard or two next to him and they wouldn't let him out of their sight even when he was with his siblings- it was like they were sure Kiku was going to escape any moment. The Japanese man tried not to make this affect him and vowed to himself that he would remain strong but there were times he felt utterly helpless.

At first, Kiku thought that playing some music on the harmonica which Thanit had gifted him would help to ease his stress, but he changed his mind and decided to go to the kitchen and try out a new recipe. He tried to hum a lively tune just to help him take his mind off the fact that there was a scary bodyguard close by. While Kiku was in the kitchen, trying to cook something, he remembered Yao's statement that day on the porch- he had never seen Yao looked so determined. However as the days went by and the wedding day grew closer, Kiku realized that maybe his wish of getting out of this marriage wouldn't be fulfilled after all. '_Of course, it definitely would be difficult for Yao-nii to plan anything under such conditions._'

Then, he heard a knock on the kitchen door. Looking up, he saw Yao standing there. With a soft smile, Kiku said, "Yao-nii, you will have 100 more years to live."

Yao raised his eyebrow "Oh, the precious Nightingale was thinking about me. What was it about?" When Kiku didn't answer, Yao made note of silence and looked at the guard who was standing nearby "Please leave. I would like to talk to Kiku alone."

The guard, who was a huge bald man in a black suit, shook his head "My apologies, Mr. Wong, but I was given strict instructions to be in close quarters of Master Kiku here."

Yao sighed and said out loud "Aiyaa, is everyone who works under Minghan just as annoying as he is?" The guard shifted a little but didn't answer. Feeling this was going to go nowhere and seeing that the guard refused to budge, Yao turned to look at Kiku, inquiring, "What are you cooking this time?"

Kiku, taking the ingredients from the fridge, replied, "I thought I would make some dim sum, like the one you made last week. I've mastered all the international recipes you have given me. This is the only one left."

Yao moving close to Kiku, whispered, "_**It's good that you know how to cook because you will need those skills to survive on the outside.**_" Before Kiku could ask what Yao meant, Yao gestured him not to say anything fearing that the guard would get suspicious of their whispering.

So, Kiku went about making the dish with Yao pointing out what to use.

x

* * *

x

Sitting alone in his office, Yao was unable to concentrate. He really wanted to talk to Kiku, to let him know everything that was being planned but it was nearly impossible to have a one-on-one discussion with Minghan's men around. '_I hope his goons won't be near Kiku during the wedding._'

His thoughts were interrupted when the intercom on his phone rang. Pressing the button, he heard his secretary Jin say "_Mr. Wong, there are a couple of people who want to see you._" Yao frowned and asked "Do they have an appointment?" Jin replied with a bit of hesitation "_No... but one of them said that if they weren't allowed to see you, then he would scream that... that._"

Yao was now curious. "He would scream what?". Jin coughed, answering, "_That... your breasts __belong_ _to him._"

Yao facepalmed- there was only one person he knew who would make a statement like that and since Jin mentioned that there was more than one person, he was sure who all were there. With a sigh, Yao said, "Send them in."

Looking at the group who had just entered his office, it surprised Yao how quickly his cousins had grown. The one who made the 'breast statement' was the first to enter- YongSoo was a tall brunette with auburn-coloured eyes in his early 20's. The next one was Thanit, a young man with inky black hair also in his 20s, who was just as tall as YongSoo and wore thin black framed glasses. Then the third was the protégé of the Wong family, Xiang, an emotionless 16-year-old with dark brown hair and light brown eyes who would have looked like an exact replica of his late mother if not for the thick eyebrows (though Yao had to admit, they suited the teenager).

Finally two 18-year-old girls entered- the first one, Viet, was in green ao dai clothing and had her long brown hair tied in a ponytail while the latter named MeiMei preferred to let her black hair flow loosely, opting to wear a pink qipao and a long white skirt.

Observing all of them, Yao asked, "So, why are you all here?"

MeiMei had an apologetic look on her face. "Yao-ge, I tried to keep the boys from disturbing you but they wouldn't listen."

Viet nodded with a frown and added, "They were being stubborn brats."

YongSoo stuck out his tongue at her and turned to look at Yao, saying, "If we were to discuss anything top secret, I figured your office would be the best place since our house is crawling with the Minghan's pests. Besides, I'm worried. The wedding is coming up and soon, our Nightingale will be in that monster's hands. We've got to do something, daze."

Thanit, who sat on the couch next to Xiang, replied, "Easier said than done. Minghan's guards keep such a close watch on Kiku; it's impossible to help Kiku escape."

The Korean started to flail his arms. "Maybe on the wedding day, a scenario could happen where Xiang lights his firecrackers distracting everybody, then me, the dashing hero will go and save Kiku who proceeds to fall in love with me."

Viet, leaning against the wall, snorted. "Ha, dream on. Haven't you come to the realization that Kiku is actually scared of you since all you do is molest him. If that wedding scenario were to ever happen, Kiku would run like the wind in the opposite direction if he saw you."

YongSoo scowled at her while Thanit chuckled. However Xiang, quietly watching everyone, finally stated, "Dai-ge, you already started a plan, haven't you?" The boys looked at Yao waiting for an answer. Yao smiled thinking Xiang was a sharp cookie and after awhile, gave a nod.

YongSoo, feeling a little excited, inquired whether fire-crackers were involved. Yao shook his head. "The hotel where the wedding will occur was one of the last places that my father had designed. So, I would prefer it if nothing gets destroyed in the process."

Xiang looked at girls, then at Yao and again back at the girls. Pointing to them, the emotionless teenager again came up with another intriguing insight. "The girls are in on the plan, aren't they?"

YongSoo gave a disbelieving look to the room at large and exclaimed, "WHAT! That's not fair. Is that why you two didn't want us to meet Yao? You already knew the plan, and didn't want us to know, right?"

Viet stared at her cousin in the eye with a smirk on her face. "YongSoo, you particularly weren't informed since you're a blabbermouth who can't keep secrets. You are also bit of a simpleton.". MeiMei pursed lips and said, "Viet, that's a mean thing to say, even if it's true." YongSoo couldn't believe that both the girls had just insulted him, and put a hand on his chest dramatically.

Thanit, ignoring the fact that World War 3 was from happening between his cousins, turned towards Yao and asked, "Why did grandfather chose Hotel Fleur-de-Peonies for Kiku's wedding? I was always under the impression that Uncle Lu and grandfather Mao were at odds with each other."

Yao replied, "They were at each other's throats, so I had my doubts whether the elder would choose that place but grandfather and father oddly had the same tastes in almost everything, so I guess it's no surprise why that hotel is now the final location for the ceremony."

The Chinese man mulled it over, remembering a time when his father, a successful architect, first began designing the hotel -

_Late __at_ _night, a six-year-old Y__ao saw his father in the study. Looking up from the drawing board, his father was surprised to see him. "Yao? What are you doing walking around? Shouldn't you be in bed?" Yao walked closer to his father and replied, "I don't feel sleepy."_

_Yao's father got up from his seat and picked him, saying, "That's not good. Growing boys need their sleep." Walking toward__s his son's_ _bedroom and placing Yao in his bed, his father stated "Maybe_ _i__f I read a story, you will fall asleep. Which bedtime story would you like me to read to you?" When the child showed the book to him, his father questioned "Rapunzel? You actually like Rapunzel?"_

_Yao answered, "I feel like her, trapped in a tower whenever grandfather is around."_

_He was __quiet_ _for awhile after Yao said that and then replied, "I understand what you mean by that." Ruffling the young boy's hair, his father said, "Don't __forget_ _this title when you grow up. It might be your ticket __to_ _freedom."_

_Yao had_ _ne__ver understood what his father meant. But when his parents passed away in a car accident, he later found a stash of stuff that his father had secretly hidden for him, and finally he found out what his father meant when he said that._

YongSoo broke Yao out of his thoughts, by saying, "Yao-Hyung, please let us in on what have planned for Kiku's wedding. We all want what is best for Kiku." Yao wasn't sure how they would take the news but after some time, he explained everything to the group about how Kiku was going to escape and what would happen to him later when all was said and done.

The boys were now silent, surprised by what their oldest cousin had just explained (the girls weren't since they were already informed of the plan- however, initially they were just as surprised as the boys when they found out about it). Thanit was the first to break the silence, speaking with a hint of glee. "That's so cool and our Nightingale gets to experience it first before he gets his freedom from his cage."

At the same time, YongSoo showed Yao a sad look, saying, "Though I like Kiku too, Yao-Hyung, you're playing favorites by letting him experience that first."

Yao sighed. "It's not about playing favorites. I had no choice. I was desperate- this was the only way to help him." YongSoo pouted, rebutting, "So why did you keep such a thing secret from us?"

Before Yao could answer, Xiang gave his opinion. "It's because that was something between his father and him. I completely understand that feeling." While they all agreed the plan was a lot less flashy than what YongSoo had thought of, they still weren't sure whether it would be successful since it was almost impossible to get hold of Kiku alone with the watch-dogs nearby.

Yao thought, '_I guess I will have to think of some other way to let Kiku know without raising any suspicions._'

x

**A/N:** Introductions to the Asian posse

MeiMei – Taiwan

Thanit – Thailand

Viet – Vietnam

YongSoo – South Korea

Xiang – Hong Kong

The reason why the cousins refer to Kiku as the Nightingale is because I have established Kiku as someone who is musically gifted and sings quite well.


	3. Chapter 3

**OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE...**

**Chapter 3**

Arthur Kirkland, a young novelist with sandy blond hair and emerald green eyes, was sitting outside a café drinking his cup of Earl Grey tea.

Back when he used to work as a crime journalist, he would use this café as a rendezvous point to meet his sources. This time, however, he hadn't just finished a meeting with another source, rather with someone who was very close to him. Sipping his tea, Arthur re-examined the relationship he had with Yao Wong- he knew the only connection he had to that man was through his half-brother Xiang and that itself was heart breaking experience for Arthur.

The Brit recalled he was about 4 when it had happened. Since he was very young, a memory like that would permanently remain etched in his mind -

_Living in a single parent home in a small flat, Arthur didn't complain. His father Brian Kirkland, a social worker, tried to provide as much as he could for his son and Arthur loved him for that. With whatever provisions they had, they were able to get by on a day to day basis__._

_One evening when it was raining heavily, Arthur looked outside the window and saw at the end of the street a __lone figure slowly __walking by. It seemed odd to Arthur__,__ seeing that everyone had taken cover from the rain, hence the __deserted-looking street__ but this person walked on, even without an umbrella. However that person suddenly fell to the ground. With worry, Arthur told his father about it. Being a helper by profession, Brian told him to stay inside while he went out__._

_Finally__,__ when Arthur's father came back, he brought with him a young__,__ fragile-looking Chinese woman in her mid 20's. Brian laid her on the sofa and was about to call for an ambulance when she immediately grabbed a weak hold of his hand, pleading__,__ "Please don't call the hospital, otherwise he will find me. Please, I am begging you, don't call." Because he had dealt with cases involving with battered wives, Brian figured that she must be running away from her husband._

_At a loss on how to proceed, Brian saw that she was shivering. He instructed Arthur to watch the young lady, as he went to look for clothes she could change into. Brian then dried her up, putting her in the warm clothes, and later wrapping her in blankets. He started applying warm compresses to her forehead and neck. When Arthur asked what his father was trying to do, Brian replied "She has a mild case of __h__ypothermia __which is a condition where the body temperature is __lower__ than normal. I am trying to prevent it from going lower."_

_It seemed to have worked since she wasn't shivering anymore and was now peacefully sleeping in his dad's bed. When she woke up the next day, she was slightly surprised to see Arthur and Brian. She probably wasn't in an alert state of mind the previous night, so, seeing new faces in a new environment must have thrown her off but she gave her thanks when she found out what transpired the night before. The young lady introduced herself as Xia Wong but was reluctant to share __any more__ information, other than the fact that she wasn't running away from her husband since she was single. Noticing that she was still weak, Brian insisted __she stay__ till she __became__ better. Arthur had never seen a prettier smile when she finally accepted the gracious offer._

_While spending time with Xia, Arthur grew fond of her. Though she was a bit weak at health, she was so free__-__spirited and unrestrained that Arthur felt she had a fire within her that immediately attracted __others,__ like moths to a flame. Arthur wasn't the only one besotted by her- he noticed that his father wa__s __charmed by her as well__;__ however Brian wouldn't overstep the boundary seeing that she was still guarded._

_Slowly when they grew closer, Xia began opening up about her life- she said that she belonged to powerful __p__olitical family. She spoke about how her father's word was the law and about how often her elder brother Lu Wong __and she__ would try to stand up against him__,__ only to be shut down. Finally when she couldn't bear it anymore, she left. To make sure that her father wouldn't find her, she cut all ties to her family, which was why she was reluctant to go to the hospital fearing that her father might get notified of her presence._

_Learning more about her and seeing how having her around made everything feel right, both father __and __son wanted to protect her. In time, they grew to adore her__,__ seeing what a wonderful person she was. She too returned the feeling, so they lived together with Xia being like a mother to young Arthur. Many years later, they had a new addition to the family, __a baby with__ soft__,__ dark-brown hair and eyes like his mother but had the eyebrows like his father and Arthur__.__T__he child was christened Xiang. Arthur__,__ in the beginning felt odd to have a baby brother at age 14__,__ but whenever he looked at the Xiang's face, whatever feelings of uneasiness within him vanished._

_However, the Kirklands' happiness was short-lived__,__ since Xia always had a weak body constitution__. A__ year later, she passed away__,__ and that's when the nightmare started __began__. Xia's father found where the Kirklands lived as soon as he was informed of Xia's death, taking Xiang away. Brian fought for the custody of his __one-__year old son but each and every time the court ruled in favour of Mr Mao Wong._

_Another year passed__,__ and with no resources to pay for lawyers, it looked like the Kirklands would never see Xiang again when their telephone rang. Arthur saw his father's face became pale as he was conversing on the phone. After his father put the phone down, Arthur inquired__,__ "Dad, who it was and what the caller say?"_

_His father replied__,__ "The caller didn't give a name, just that if we ever wanted to see Xiang again, come to the amusement park at 3."_

_Not sure what to make of the call, they decided to risk it and go to the park. When they reached __it__, the father remembered that the caller had instructed to go towards the cafe present at the end of Amusement Park and to look for someone in a long red coat. When they finally reached the cafe, both Kirklands froze- sitting at one of the tables, they saw someone looking very much like Xia in a red coat straddling Xiang on __their__ lap._

_For a moment, Arthur wondered if it really was his step-mother__.__It__ looked like that thought had crossed his father's mind as well, since Brian immediately ran towards the café tagging Arthur along. However when they got closer, it became clear that this person was someone else because when they reached __them__, __the person holding__ Xiang got up from his seat saying in a male voice__,__ "Mr Brian Kirkland, I presume, aru?" Brian nodded while looking at his almost __two-year__ old son who was wearing a lovely burgundy__-__coloured changshan outfit__._

_The person smiled__.__ "Good afternoon, my name is Yao. I'm sorry to call you on such short notice but I'm sure it will be for your best interests. Please have a seat." The moment they sat down, Yao asked his father__,__ "Would you like to hold Xiang?"_

_Arthur saw his father __choke up a little.__"Very much so__."_

_Yao then proceeded to hand Xiang over to Brian- his brother must have recognized hi__s father because __he __didn't cry, instead was giggling and kept patting his father's cheeks with __his__ tiny hands. Arthur saw sheer happiness on his dad's face when he hugged his young son. Yao turned to Arthur and said "You must be Arthur, correct?__" __Staring at Yao, Arthur wondered who this person was, but nodded not saying anything since seeing his family reunited after so long had completely overwhelmed him._

_Reading the shock state on his face, Yao decided to clear up everything__.__ "I belong to the Wong family. Aunt Xia was my relative. She's actually very famous in our family since she was only one who was able to escape Grandfather's clutches."_

_Yao__,__ with a smile__,__ continued__. __"I know about the two of you because even though she cut ties with our family, she would sometimes send __a__nonymous __messages to my father as she was very close to him. Though she never mentioned where she was, whenever my father received the messages, he would always think how silly my Aunt was since sending these messages was always a risk. But he was glad that she was happy- she often talked good things about you two and how well you both treated her. She felt she found her place in your family."_

_Brian gave Xiang to Arthur and asked the Chinese boy__,__ "How were you able to leave the mansion so easily without guards or some sort of surveillance__?__ Xia used to mention how tight security was."_

_Yao replied__,__ "The ones who I personally hired as bodyguards are loyal to me, so you don't have to worry about whether my Grandfather would find out about this meeting. I started college recently, so I'm given a little bit of freedom." Watching Xiang interact with Arthur, Yao revealed__,__ "I also reasoned that I wanted to spend time with the newest member of the family, so I was able to get away with Xiang for few hours."_

_His father also looking at both of his sons, now inquired__,__ "Why are you doing this? I mean__,__ there has __to be__ a reason why you arranged this meeting__."_

_Yao was quiet for a while and then stated__.__ "I always believe that a child should be with their parents. __Having said that, you have __two__ options__:o__ne, you can take Xiang right now and run. But I assure you that my grandfather will find you since he has friends in the __p__olice force. When he does, he will make sure that you'll be put away for life__ and will put Arthur in foster care, which I am sure you wouldn't want__."_

_Staggering a little, Brian asked__,__ "What is my second option?" _

_Yao stared into his eyes and answered__,__ "We meet like this- I'll call you beforehand and arrange such type of rendezvous during the weekends, if that is alright with you, aru." _

_Arthur saw his father weighing his options and finally agreeing to the second option. So, the __following years__, that was how the Kirklands kept meeting Yao and Xiang__._

Finishing the rest of his beverage, Arthur noted that if it wasn't for Yao, he would have never been able to meet Xiang.

Over the course of the years, the Brit would regularly meet Yao and Xiang at this very café. However, recently it has not been easy to meet up with his half-brother. Yao mentioned it was because Xiang, even at the age of 16, like his mother Xia, was being groomed for Ambassadorship. Unlike his late mother, Xiang accepted whatever tasks were given to him and didn't rebel as much.

Arthur was worried whether Xiang's spirit was being broken down and that's why he didn't fight as much but Yao smiled, assuring Arthur by saying that he didn't have to worry and that Xiang knows what he is doing- the teenager wants to use whether resources that come to him, so in the future he will be prepared.

Sighing, Arthur recalled the rest of the conversation he had with Yao this evening. He never understood why the Chinese man chose to remain with his grandfather even though Yao disliked the man. He understood the part when Yao mentioned about his grandfather being family to him, but later got confused when Yao said it was complicated. However the line Yao left with boggled him the most. '_There is a saying__:__ '__h__ate is another form of love'__.__ It's maybe because I've this feeling of hate that I still care for his well-being, hoping that he might change. It probably would be a different story if I had no feelings towards him, aru_.'

Now, focusing on the Wong family photos that Yao left him with, Arthur picked the one of the person named Kiku, who would live with him. Studying the person's face, Arthur mused – history was almost repeating itself, except this time a young man from the Wong family was going to live with the Kirklands.

x

**A/N:** Brian (Arthur's father), Xia (Xiang's mother), Lu (Yao's father) and grandfather Mao Wong are all OC's


	4. Chapter 4

**OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE...**

**Chapter 4**

Driving his Scion-xd into one of the garages in the apartment complex, Arthur felt glad that he took up the position of being the 'building superintendent' - sure, he was responsible for repair and maintenance in the residential building but it had its perks, like free rent and free garage parking space room. As he parked his car, he heard noises coming from a nearby garage room. Locking his garage door and moving closer towards the noises, he saw a red car being worked on, '_If one can call it a car. It's more like pile of scrap metal__._'

The pile of scrap metal belonged to his cousin Alfred, a car mechanic by profession, who was currently under the vehicle. The young tall blue-eyed man was a distant relative from his mother's side. A few weeks ago, he was at Arthur's doorstep begging for a place to stay. Unable to turn down the puppy eyes Alfred showed him, Arthur somehow got the other a flat in his building to stay in- he didn't want Alfred rooming with him since he knew the blue-eyed blond was a slob and that would irritate his perfectionist nature.

Alfred must have noticed that someone was out there in his own garage room, since he wheeled out from under the car. "Hey, Artie. Welcome back. How did your date go?" he asked, standing up from his position. He wearing a white A-shirt and old pair of jeans which were now partially covered with oil sludge

That statement would have confused Arthur since he had just come from his meeting from Yao, but he had told his relative that he was going out on a date when the other inquired about his plans. He wasn't sure why he couldn't come up with a better excuse- when Alfred asked his question so abruptly with an intrigued expression, the word 'date' came out. He was sure Yao wouldn't appreciate being tagged as his date. '_Even though Yao has all the physical attributes of being a lovely date_.' The Chinese man had soft features like beautiful almond-shaped amber eyes, cute button nose, perfect ivory skin, and flawless ebony hair which when tied together falls off over his petite shoulders...

Alfred interrupted his thoughts by saying, "The date must have been good, huh?"

Arthur, raising his eyebrow, inquired "Why would you say that?"

"It's cause you are blushing." Right after Alfred said that, Arthur rushed to check his reflection. When he saw the his face looked pale, he realized his relative pulled a fast one and heard laughter, "Oh man, Artie. You are still gullible as ever."

"You git! I can't see what fun you have in taking the mickey out of me" Arthur spat out after awhile, now sure that he had a blush forming on his face. "And why are you so concerned with what is going in my life?"

Wiping the oil from his face with a hand-cloth, Alfred replied, "When you told me you were going on a date, I was happy for you. You usually stay at home like a hermit leading a life of seclusion, closing yourself to others. So, it's nice to see that you are finally going out more often."

The Brit was surprised that Alfred actually cared for his well-being but he didn't want to show that it was affecting him, so he decided to change the subject since he really didn't go on a date and he didn't want to lie any further. "How long are planning on working on this pile of crap?"

Alfred showed an appalled expression. "Take that back, this is a 1978 Ford Mustang - it's a classic."

Arthur scoffed, stating, "Pshh, it's an antique, that's what it is. It should be in the scrapeyard and be put out of its misery." Alfred waved his hand, saying, "You have no taste, old man."

His eyebrow twitched when Arthur heard that. "Old man? I am only a couple of years older than you."

Alfred replied, "Whatever you say... Old man."

Before Arthur could berate him anymore, Alfred asked, "How is your car, by the way? Is the engine working fine?" With his temper dying down, Arthur finally said, "Yeah, you actually did a really good job fixing it. Thanks for quick tune-up."

Flashing his trademark grin, Alfred stated, "Sure, anytime... In return, you can tell me how that date went."

Making sound of indignation, the Brit responded, "You noisy little prat. That's private," and walked out of the garage room, hearing Alfred teasing him for being shy at his age.

As soon as Arthur left, Alfred's cellphone rang. Getting into the passenger seat, the blue-eyed man answered, "Boss, if you're calling for more updates, I have none at the present. All I can say is the tracking device I planted in his car worked like a charm. Our accomplices had just informed me that Arthur had met up with Yao Wong, so your suspicions were right from the beginning. Unfortunately they couldn't hear what was being said but they did see an exchange of some documents took place."

Listening to what the other had to say, Alfred opened the car drawer, taking a look at the semi-automatic pistol. "Alrighty Boss, if anything happens, I will take care of it." Cutting the phone, Alfred sighed, '_Ah Artie, as long as I have known you, you loved playing with fire but one of these days, you are going to get burnt_', closing the drawer compartment.

* * *

Inside the posh Tailor-shop called 'Zheng's Hei Tiane', YongSoo was admiring himself in the mirror. "You know, we really don't have to be here, daze. It's not like we will become his family anytime soon since the wedd-AAAAAAH!" the auburn-eyed Korean screamed when he felt a sharp pain on his backside. Rubbing it in comfort, he turned to the glare at the one who poked him, with a very large needle no less. "Apai, what did you do that for!"

Thanit sighed, putting the needle away. "Viet is right- you're a blabbermouth who can't keep secrets. We are right now in one of the tailor-shops that Minghan frequents, and here you are broadcasting for everyone to hear."

With tears forming in his eyes, the brunette said pouting, "You didn't have to resort to using the needle, daze. You could have just told me, I have ears if you can't see even while wearing glasses."

Feeling slightly guilty, Thanit hugged the Korean. "There, there, I am sorry. I'll never to do it again. Stop crying, okay?" He tenderly wiped his tears away.

When Thanit gave him his smile, YongSoo was unable to refuse him and so he nodded while hugging the other. Then they both heard, "Can you please stop the love-feast. I just had my lunch and I rather not have it regurgitated."

They turned to see their 16 year old cousin, Xiang, sitting on one of the chairs with his thick eyebrows knitted in concentration looking at a file. Both knew Xiang as someone who is normally stoic and emotionless- so for him to say such a thing with a slight bit of agitation in his voice, they realized that he was under a lot of pressure and it was slowly getting him.

YongSoo, trying to brighten the atmosphere asked, "What exactly are you reading?"

Xiang closed his eyes and replied, "Stuff that I was briefed over in the morning. I need to memorize everything by tonight."

Turning to look at his cousins, Xiang said, "I am sorry if I have been on the edge lately- it's just that on the top of school, I have to deal with all the proceedings related to becoming an Ambassador. It's a bit tiring." With a look of concern, Thanit asked why he doesn't quit before his health is affected. Xiang replied, "I can't. Dai-ge is all alone in the political world. If doing this guarantees a way for me to help him somehow, then I have to continue."

Thanit and YongSoo knew that Xiang was right in saying Yao was alone in the political arena - his stance of playing by the rules and refusal to use underhanded tricks had brought on many enemies. It didn't help reduce their fear of his safety whenever he said, '_Politics is a dirty business, aru. I don't want any of you going near it_.'

YongSoo, stroking his chin, stated, "I don't get it, daze! Yao-Hyung says politics are bad, yet he is at the heart of it." He said all this without noticing the normally impassive Xiang was now slightly trembling, whispering "**It's because of me... He is there because of me.**"

Thanit nudged YongSoo at the waist signaling him not to say anymore, fearing that their youngest cousin might break down any moment. They all knew Xiang's history and what he had to go through. He made a note to talk to YongSoo about being careful in which words to use next time while talking to the youngster. He was thankful when the tailor came with his assistant carrying the suits which Minghan wanted them to have as gifts for becoming his family- Xiang now seemed to relax a bit while they all were trying out the outfits.

After they were done, Xiang had to use the company car waiting for him outside. The other two figured that the boy had to go through more training and wished him luck. As the car drove away, YongSoo turned to Thanit. "Shall we ask Yao-Hyung again if he will take us as his aides, daze?" he asked, walking towards their car.

Thanit smiled when he found out YongSoo was having the same thought he did. Adjusting his black-framed specs, he inquired, "Do you think Yao-Aniki will agree to our request this time?"

The Korean thought about it and answered, "Well, if he doesn't, I beg till he caves in and you can show him your smile which nobody can refuse, while making the request. I think together we will be able to convince him."

Chuckling slightly, inky-haired man replied, "It sounds like a plan," while they got into their car.

* * *

Looking outside the window of his office, Yao was going through what he will be doing in the following weeks when the door was knocked on. After he had given permission to enter, he heard Jin saying in a faltering voice as if he was scared, "Mr Wong, there is someone out here who wants to speak to you."

Ignoring Jin's tone and without turning his back, Yao stated, irritated, that it wasn't a scheduled meeting. "Tell them that I am busy and that they can schedule an appointment with you for a later time." But before he could hear Jin's reply, a deep resonant voice said, "Yao, you should make time for family."

Turning quickly, he saw himself looking at the man who he always dreaded to meet. Standing there near the door was Minghan, looking smug as he had closed the door with his guards standing out, so it was just Yao and him alone.

Even though Yao had referred to the other as a petty Mongolian criminal, he knew Minghan was an extremely clever man. Possessing knowledge at how business operates, this man who was only an year older than Yao, single-handed took over a group which was unstable for years and created an empire. Though he had legitimate business, Yao also knew under that facade was a mobster ruling the Golden Triads.

Yao narrowed his eyes at the Mongolian, "What do you want, aru? They say time is money, and my time is far too precious to be spent on you."

"Tsk, tsk, is that how you are supposed to speak to me, the man who not only is going to be your brother-in-law, but is also helping your grandfather?" Mighnan decided to seat himself on the nearby couch.

Trying to stay calm, Yao replied with his back against the window, "What you would do with my grandfather is of no concern to me. If you don't have anything useful to say, then please leave." while choosing to ignore the 'brother-in-law' comment.

Smirking slightly, the Mongolian stated, "Alright, I will cut to the chase. It has come to my attention that you interacted with the leader of the Red Dragon Triads. I personally came to inquire whether if this was true."

Yao stared at Minghan's eyes, saying, "I don't know where you get your information, but that can't be further than the truth, aru."

Minghan stared at Yao as well for several minutes before getting up from his seat. "Is that so? That's good to hear. I mean, one of my future in-laws interacting with one of my most hated enemies is something very hard to swallow." Leaving the office, he warned, "You best not betray me since I will be taking good care of Kiku from now on," and closed the door.

Putting a hand over his mouth, Yao scolded himself for being so careless. One of the leaders of the Red Dragon, who was a relative of a professor whom Yao interacted with in college, had contacted him, asking whether he needed help against Mighnan. He remembered when he finally reached their headquarters, Yao felt like he was being watched and so he turned back. '_If Minghan knew about that, then it means he has spies there, so asking help from them will be fruitless since it will lead back to me_.'

With the wedding date approaching fast, Yao decided that whatever plan he had formulated was safe enough without the help from anyone else for now.

x

**A/N:** Ahem, I know America is the lovable, goofy character that everyone loves, so I hope nobody is turned off by Alfred's shady double nature here... Next chapter focuses on Kiku again


End file.
